


A Love Unspoken

by wolf_noita03



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2018-02-22 10:43:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2504963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolf_noita03/pseuds/wolf_noita03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>just want to thank ASOIAF_FAN; estha; lucy94; annie: maxine; Raskolnikova; anne91; and carla_00 for taking the time to leave a comment. soory have not replied. i have been very busy. anywho hope u all like this chapter. it took a while to write and then re edit! thankyou soo much for taking the time to read this and leaving kudos and comments! :)</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

                                                                                                      

 

The candles in the hall all shone brightly, as the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled all ready for the guests to arrive. Arya frantically begins to clean the kitchen up whilst every few minutes glancing at the clock on the kitchen wall. Both families were due to arrive by 7pm.

 6:35pm; 25 minutes. That is all the time she had to make sure everything was ready. Clean glasses at the ready, a bottle of white and red wine already put to cool in the ice bucket. The house clean and the food cooking nicely.

She glances nervously back at the clock on the wall. 6:40pm. If she knew both sets of families pretty well – which she did - then they would all be arriving on time. She wouldn’t be surprised if her family was not already outside the drive waiting for it to turn 7! She rolled her eyes at the sheer thought of it and bit her bottom lip.

6:45pm, where had the time gone? Arya thinks to herself as she begins to scrub the kitchen surface with anitibac. If her mother came and saw the kitchen, which she would insist on seeing, she would despair.

“Relax Arya everything will be fine”, came Gendry’s voice from behind her as he wraps one arm around her waist and kisses the neck just below the ear.

“How long before the Turkey needs to be you know, what is that thing ---

“Basted?”he says smiling softly.

“Yes that’s it. How long till I have to do that again”, she says ignoring his gentle kisses.

“Arya, not for another ten minutes. It will be fine. Everything smells delicious by the way”, he says turning her to face him, and smiling at her.

“Smelling delicious and tasting delicious are two very different things Gendry, as any one of my family members would love to tell u about”, she says, thinking of the times when she had made her father and mother a casserole for their tea., which had smelt lovely, but was absolutely disgusting. Even the dogs had refused to eat it.

Or the time when she had baked cheese potato pie and well Theon their cousin who was stopping for the holidays, had asked why there was a custardy taste to it. The rest of her family had the good sense to not even ask. She had opened one of the wrong packets, and did not think to look at the label. Again even the dogs refused to eat that.

Or even the time she had decided in the middle of the night that she was hungry so put a pizza in the oven but forget to take the plastic off from the bottom, and had forgotten all about it as she joined Sansa and her poxy friends. Well no one in her family had forgotten about it, nor any of Sansa’s friends. Nor the bloody fire brigade. If it had not been for Jon she would not have been able to laugh about it either.

She had ruined a cake that she had made for Robb and his best friend Jon before they were to leave for university. When Robb and Jon had gone to cut it, it was still gooey inside. She had set the temperature wrong on the oven. Everyone had laughed apart from Jon. He had stayed up and helped her make another one. He had even helped her tidy up, and made sure the oven was at the right temperature this time. She would have given up anything to have him by her side now. He would have stayed and helped her cook, instead of going to set up the game room for her family.  He would have done that too but unlike Gendry he would never have purposely left it till the last minute. He would have helped her tidy up too. In fact there was a lot he would have done for her unlike Gendry.

“Arya you need to relax, everything will be fine. You have become a much better cook then you were before”, he says smiling at her. She whacks him in the chest.

“I just do not understand why you had to invite everyone over. You know how difficult it was for me after losing ----“

“I know, and that is why I thought it best you had your family around you. I remember how special Christmas was for you Arya. I just do not want to see you sad. And besides the house is all complete now. At least we won’t have to host tow dinner parties. This is like ‘our home is now complete party’ and Christmas rolled in to one. Killing two birds with one stone”, he says kissing her on the forehead.

“I know but I just”, she lets a big sigh and then says “I just feel...... I don’t know. Forget it. Your right, thank you Gendry. This will all be fine. Everything will be fine”, she says trying to wriggle out of his embrace as he leans in to kiss her.

“Gendry I have work to do, come on”, she says laughing and kissing him at the same time. She nervously glances at the clock as he lets go of her.

6:55pm

Five more minutes and they will be here. For once she wished her family would have the kind grace to come late. But she knew them all too well. Pulling a face she hurried around, picking bits of peel from off the kitchen floor.

“Gendry!” she shouted. “Any chance you can just get the air freshener and spray it around the house please”, her mother would be the first to point out that she had forgotten to put the fan on the oven, or close the kitchen door, so as to stop the rest of the house from smelling.

“Oh Arya can’t you do it, I just have to set the play station up for the lads”, he shouted back. As if the setting the play station was the most important thing in the world! She growled quietly. _That is fine I will do it,_ she said quietly in her head.

Grabbing the aerosol can she frantically runs upstairs and sprays the whole house from top to bottom. She lit more candles, and was just about to go to the toilet when she heard the clock strike 7: O’ Clock. Her heart started to beat faster in her chest as she heard the doorbell ring. She stood in the hallway watching the door.

“Oh shit!” she whispers under her breathe, as the doorbell rings again. Gendry comes downstairs and leads her by the hand.

“You know we don’t have to go through with this, we can turn around and say the electricity went off, and the food has been ruined, and we’re very sorry. You know that kind of thing”, she said smiling meekly, as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled at her kindly.

“We can’t darling they have already seen you. Relax it will be fine. And if any of them complain about the food then I will shove it down their throats”, he smiled. She smiled back at him.

 Gendry opens the door while Arya stands back ready to greet her guests; _her family._

Her father Ned Stark was the first to enter, along with his wife, her mother, Catelynn. Robb carrying his little baby of nine months Rhaneays in his arms and his wife Jeyne who was pregnant with their second baby already entered next; followed by Sansa and her new eye candy Will Tyrell. Then came Bran and Meera his girlfriend for almost a year and half now. Then Rickon who was carrying something big. Gendry went to his side quickly and winked at him helping him with the bag.

As they all made their way to the living room, the doorbell rang again.

“I’ll get that darling if you just pour the wine”, Gendry said smiling at her. _Great!_ She thought, as she smiled at her family.

“Arya. How are you?” asked her father. Hugging her tightly. She hugged him back. She had missed him. Then she went and hugged everyone in turn making small talk with them all. She could hear Gendry’s fathers’ loud voice billowing from down the hall.

“Here comes Robert”, said her father smiling as his old friend walks in shouting “NED!” and squeezes him tightly. Her father and Robert laughed, as the rest of his family walked in. His second wife Cersei looks around and laughs at Robert, slapping his arm gently and saying to him “darling put Ned back down” as she embraces Catelynn.

Cersei had also brought her two brothers with her. Tyrion and Jamie, Jamie who was Cersei’s twin, and Tyrion who was the younger of the two, and the most over looked but by far the nicest. Though Arya never had anything against Cersei or Jamie she could never understand why Cersei had a problem with Tyrion. Jamie had gotten back from serving in the army. He had been dismissed from his duties due to an accident that cost him his hand, while serving in Afghanistan.

Cersei and Robert although had been married awhile had no children of their own. Cersei would not allow it. She did not want to have her body ruined by stretch marks nor have her breasts sag! This, she always reminded Robert of. It was the only time they argued. Robert only had Gendry, his first wife dying after giving birth. He had raised Gendry by himself, until he was two, and met Cersei.

 Arya watches as her and Gendry’s whole family sat in the living hall talking merrily. Her eyes darting at each and every one of them. Robert and Cersei spoke with her father and mother, whilst Rob tried to have a serious conversation with Jamie, but failing because Rhaneays wanted her father’s attention. Jeyne, Sansa, Will and Meera chatting about babies and fashion. _How babies and fashion could co- inside one another in the conversation, she had no idea._ Bran and Rickon chatted to Gendry about the play station and the games that Rickon had brought. She took a sip of her drink and rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long and very boring night for her.  She walked over to Tyrion who was sitting with a drink in hand looking as bored as she felt.

“Merry Christmas Tyrion”, she says walking over to him and sitting on the arm of the chair besides him.

“Arya, my favourite of the stark children. How are you?” he asks and then adds “I heard about what had happened, I am so sorry for your loss. It is never easy losing someone you love”, he says his eyes staring straight at her.

She was not ready for this. To have this conversation. Not with him at least. But she smiled politely at him “thank you Tyrion” giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He squeezes it back and smiles.

“Now how is my half oaf of a nephew treating you?” he asks smiling at her. She laughs and shakes her head. “Tyrion!”

“Well”? He asks.

“He is treating me fine thank you”, she says smiling at him.

“But not so much well that you are having to slave over a hot oven and cook by yourself”? He asks raising one brow at her.

“I do not mind, I like to cook” she said. shrugging her shoulders.

His smile fades from his face. “Oh dear you like to cook? Arya my dear I have tasted your cooking and I must say it is awful, and now you’re telling me you like to make that?” trying to keep his face straight.

“Shut up “she says and whacks him in the arm. She hears Roberts voice then billowing from the room. “The dogs, nasty business that. But I’ve always told you they should be kept outside not in the house. And locked. You let them run free and they bound to get out and cause a bloody accident. You’re lucky Ned no one was hurt. Otherwise you would have had a hell of a law suit against you. Nasty business. Bloody dogs”, his voice trails. And she sees the rest of the Stark family hush. No one had spoken about Nymeria and Ghost since the accident. An accident she had felt awful about. Arya could feel her eyes welling up with tears, as she bit her lip. She looked over to Gendry waiting for him to say something but he just stood there.

“It could have happened to any one Robert. It was a terrible accident. Let us try and put it past us.” Came Ned’s voice firm, and looking straight at his old friend Robert. Arya could have ran and hugged her father then. She watched as her mother gave her father’s hand a gentle squeeze, and as cersei slipped her arm in Roberts.

Just then the doorbell rings and Arya’s eyes dart to Gendry. Everyone was already here so who could it be she wonders.

As she watches Gendry go to the door, she looks at her guests. Gendry had said it was just family. His friends were not supposed to come. Or were they?

Tyrion clears his throat. “Ahh that must be the pizza I ordered”, everyone turns to him as if ready to scold him. And he says “what? Arya’s cooking”, and everyone begins to laugh, and Arya whacks him again on the arm. She turns to Gendry who enters the room smiling, but it was the figure that stood behind him that catches her eye, and makes her heart skip a beat....

“Jon!” she heard her father’s voice. But her own eyes never left his face. _He had come_.....


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

 Her heart stops beating as she watches her father walk quickly to Jon and embraces him. She had not been the only one to miss him. She watches as Robb gives his best friend a big hug and a slap on the back.

“Jon you made it” says Robb. “For a moment I did not think that you would. How was your flight? Why did you not tell us you had landed we would have come to pick u up” says a very excited Robb.

“Darling give Jon a chance to answer at least one of your questions”, Jeyne says, as she moves to hug Jon and gives him a kiss on the cheek, as Rhaneays tries to struggle out of her mother’s arms and in to Robb’s.

“Hello Jeyne how are you? Another one? “Jon asks to Jeyne then looking at Robb he winks. Arya could feel her heart beat faster and faster. _Robb had invited him_ she thinks to herself. _But why had he not told me?_

Robb then turns to look at Arya and Gendry. “Sorry guys I did not tell you Jon was going to come I hope you don’t mind. It’s just that Gendr,y when you invited the rest of the family well Christmas would not be Christmas without Jon”, he said smiling. But it was not Gendry who replied but her father.

“You did the right thing Robb, I’m sure both Gendry and Arya are delighted to have Jon here as much as we are to have him join us”, he says. Arya looked at Gendry then at her father and smiled. She caught her mother rolling her eyes, like she always did when anyone mentioned Jon.

“Of course we are”, says Gendry as he walks towards Arya and places his hand on her back. “Aren’t we darling?” he looks at her and smiles and Arya looks at him, then at Jon. “Of course we are”, she manages to say all the while trying to stop herself from rushing to him and telling him and over again how sorry she was about Ghost. She silently took another sip of her wine and watched as the rest of the household chatted animatedly to one another. Someone, she was not sure but had a suspicion it was her mother had put music on. All the favourite Christmas songs played on in the background, as Arya made her way to the kitchens.

She quickly gulps down her drink and starts to prepare to take out the food from the oven. She places things neatly on to the correct plates and serving dishes before placing them on the table. All the while chewing her bottom lip, and thinking _‘why had he not told her he was coming? Was he still mad? Angry with her? Surely he must know how awful she had felt?_ Ghost was as much part of her as he was Jons. He had only lost Ghost that day but she had lost the three most important friends that anyone could ask for.  She missed Nymeria, Ghost and Jon. It was like someone had taken a big chunk of her heart away, and all she was left with was a great big gaping hole. She quickly gave the table one last check before calling everyone in.

 Arya watched as Gendry led everyone into the dining hall, where she was happy to see the look of surprise on everyone’s face.  

“Oh darling this looks wonderful”, came her mother’s voice, as she swooned in, and marvelled at her daughters handy work. At the very moment Arya felt so proud of herself. She let a little smile appear on her face.

“There is no way you could have done this all by yourself? Gendry must have helped? “Her mother asked, looking at Gendry, as her own smile faded somewhat.

“No. She actually did this all by herself”, came Gendry’s voice as he kissed Arya on the cheek. Arya watched as everyone found their seats, and she took hers. She had managed to squeeze Jon in next to Bran and Robb. No one had even noticed that she had to jig a few things around, or pull the chair from the downstairs study to accommodate him. _No one accept for Jon_. Who just smiled at her. It was his way of saying thank you she knew. They never needed many words to understand one another.

The honour of cutting the turkey was Gendry’s, and he did a good job of it. She watched as her father looked on. A stark tradition that he would now have to share. Her father always cut the turkey. He was the head of the family, and so that was it.

 Gendry had always carved the turkey too. When he was younger Robert and Gendry would do it together. But as he got older Robert preferred his son to do it. He would laugh and say, ‘I get him to do it because whilst he’s busy carving I’m busy eating.’ Both families were so different yet Ned and Roberts’s friendship never wavered. They had always wanted both families to be joined in marriage. All the stark children knew that.  Gendry and Arya had been together for two years now. Yet still no marriage; much to her mother’s dismay and Roberts.

 The banter across the dinner table was very varied. She caught Robert and her father discussing politics with Gendry, much to everyone’s dismay. Her mother and Cersei were discussing holidays. Sansa and Will were telling Jeyne of how life in New York was so different to rainy England. Bran and Meera chatted with Rickon about some nightclub that they were all going to hit on New Years Eve.  Tyrion and Jamie discussed their own family politics. Robb and Jon discussed old times, whilst Robb struggled feeding Rhaneays. Eventually she watched Robb give up and hand her to Jeyne who looked awfully tired.

“Here Jeyne I can take her for you if you like”, Arya says as she gets up and walks to Jeyne.

“Oh Arya thank you but I think she needs her nappy changing” Jeyne says wearily, whilst trying to push her chair out.

“I can do it. You sit down. I’l take her up and change her” she says picking Rhaneays up and saying “come on trouble let’s get you nice and clean”, and Rhaneays hugs her tight; resting her head on her Arya’s shoulder.

“Thanks Arya, her changing back is in the hallway under the stairs”, she says, and Arya carries Rhaneays and the changing bag upstairs. She gets Rhaneays nappy and other things out all ready. Arya was just about to begin when she heard a knock on the door.

“Come in”, she says whilst making roaring sounds at Rhaneays, who in turn giggles.

“Sorry I....” Arya turns round to see Jon staring at her.

“Jon”, she says, as all thoughts go out of her head.

“I...... Jeyne asked me to give you this”, he says holding out a bottle of milk for Rhaneays. “I’ll leave it here, and ohhh man that stinks”, he smiles at her and for a moment Arya does not know whether to laugh or cry.

“Jon I... I’m so sorry about what happened with Ghost, I just......” she says sobbing.

 He hugs her like he always used and she feels like she’s whole again. “Arya its ok. It could have happened to any one, I’m just glad no one else got injured, especially you”, he says looking into her eyes, and wiping her tears gently away. They both look away and pull from each other as Rhaneays begins to cry.

“I better clean her up”, Arya says smiling now.

“You sure you know what your doing?” Jon says smiling.

“Shut up” she retorts. Then asks “are you just going to stand there and watch me, or are you going to help?” she laughs. He laughs too.

“Hmmm I’m not sure I am qualified to help in that department, besides that’s your job. You offered”, he says reminding her.

“Well she was tired, and shut up about being qualified. Just get here and make her laugh so as she won’t wriggle, and get poo all on my bed”, she says, and with that Jon was making Rhaneays laugh. More so then Arya had ever. She was beginning to feel jealous.

“There all done” Arya said as she walked back into the bedroom, disposing of the nappy and cleaning her hands. Jon was sitting on the bed with Rhaneays in his arms, feeding her the milk he had brought up.

“Shhhh” he whispers and Arya sits opposite him, her hand gently brushing a strand of hair from Rhaneays’ eyes. Jon smiles at her and she smiles back _. Neither saying anything but a thousand words unspoken pass from one to another._ In that moment Arya feels normal again; almost whole.

 They had always been close. Finishing each other’s sentences before the other spoke them; or saying things at the same time. She knew Robb had found it odd at first, but he never begrudged them of this. Jon did not have a family as such. He had been found as a baby on the doorstep of a church. There was no note either. It had made Arya cry when she thought about him as a baby. How frightened he must have been as a child. To never have a family to call his own. She guessed that is why Robb had allowed Arya to befriend his best friend. He loved Jon as a brother, and never once begrudged him of his own family.

 Most of the family had warmed to Jon instantly. Not because they had pitied him, but simply because Jon was so easy to love. He always went out his way to help others, and no matter how busy or hectic life had become he always had time to listen them.

 Mother was the only one who had not warmed to him, and the only one who kept her distance. At times when Jon first started coming around she would make little snide comments, until one day father had heard her. That was the end of that. Since then mother kept quite. As the rest of the Stark family went to adoring Jon.

Arya herself never realised that she had fallen in love with Jon until Sansa had pointed it out to her one day.

_It had been the day Jon was leaving to teach English to orphan children in India. Why he had to move all the way over there was beyond her own thinking capabilities. She could not make sense of it. Why would someone as qualified and as experienced as Jon who had a good job, want to suddenly up and leave, let alone change his whole entire career? It just made no sense to her at all._

_When she had questioned him about it, he hardly had any words for her. For the first time since they had known each other, she could not read him. She was furious at him, even tried to get Robb to persuade him to stay but he just looked at her and said, “leave him be Arya. He’s my best friend why should it bother you so?” And that bothered her. That Robb would claim Jon as his best friend when really he was hers too. Father was out of town on business so she could not speak to him about it._

_It was bran who had pointed out that maybe Jon felt that he had to help those less fortunate than him. He was an orphan too. And it had struck her then. Why had she not seen it but her kid brother had. After that she tried to spend as much time with Jon as she could. She did not want him to go but she had no choice. He was going to leave whether she had liked it or not, and she had not (not for one bit) but she would be damned if she was going to spend the rest of the time they had together avoiding him._

_Then when the day had finally come for him to leave Arya insisted that she would go to. In fact her whole family had, apart from their mother. They had all surprised him at the airport, and she had clung to him for as long as she could. When they had called for his flight he had hugged everyone, and there was a lot of well wishes from everyone. She was last. She had done it deliberately. Everyone hung back as Jon walked to Arya._

_He smiled, and she could feel something tighten in her chest. “You’re really going aren’t you?” she asked, as she had tried her best to hold back the tears._

_“Yup. I am, but I will be back soon, and by then hopefully your cooking won’t be so bad”, he grins at her and she punches his arm._

_“So you will be coming back?” she looks up at him, as she holds her breath for the answer she had been dreading all along._

_“Of course, I’m only going for a year Arya. It will fly by I promise”, he smiles again; and again something tugs at her heart._

_She hugs him then, and sobs quietly into his shirt. “Hey seriously your gonna cry on me?” she pushes him away gently then punches his arm again._

_“Ow Arya, you got a mean punch”, he grins._

_“Shut up. I’ve learnt from the best” she says grinning at him now. Then there was a final call for his flight and her father walked over to them. “You better go Jon otherwise you will miss your flight” he says shaking his hand. The rest of her family joined them._

_Arya watched him turn and walk away. Her best friend was leaving her and there was nothing she could do about it. He was really going. She felt her heart break as she watched him till she could no longer see him. Till he was completely immersed in the crowd, and even then she continued to watch the place where he had walked off too, hoping that he would come back. But he had not. She had waited till Sansa had nudged her gently._

_It had been a quiet journey back. Arya had refused to talk to anyone, deciding to put her earphones in, and letting herself be completely lost to the music. When she had got home, she refused to talk to anyone and had gone straight to her room. It was Sansa who had come to her that night. Sansa who had gently brushed her hair; and told her funny stories. But it had been no use, for her mind kept wondering about  Jon._

_“He will be back you know, before you know it”, Sansa said quietly._

_“I know but I miss him already. I know why he had to go but...... but....” and she had started to cry_

_“Awww shhhh Arya, its ok I promise”, she said._

_Arya sat up and looked straight at her. “Why does everyone keep promising me things? It isn’t going to be ok, he has gone, and my only best friend has gone. He is miles and miles away and who’s to say he will be back in a year. What if he loves it there, what if he finds someone to settle with and decides he is never coming back to England what if.....”_

_“Arya”, Sansa gasped and was looking at her wide eyed with surprise._

_“What?” she shouts._

_“Oh my goodness I thought it was just some silly crush but it isn’t is it? You’re in love with Jon!” she said._

_“No I’m not. He’s my best friend, how can I be in love with him?” Arya said sitting up now and making her fists into tight balls._

_“Arya darling you are in love. Look at you. And of course you can even if your best friends. Mom says those are the kind that makes the best relationships. It’s ok Arya I won’t tell anyone”, she says reaching out her hand to touch her hair._

_Arya whacks it away. “For fucks sake Sansa I am not in love with Jon. He’s Jon, Sansa. That’s it,” and she storms out the room. She had refused to talk to Sansa then for a whole week. Until she had realised that the thing she had feared the most was true. Sansa was right. She was in love with him, and perhaps had always been in love with him. How the fuck had that happened? She doubted Jon had felt the same. He had never ever given any sign that he had felt the same. But why would he. She was sixteen and he was nineteen. Almost twenty in a month’s time._

_That year had been the longest of her life. She had counted they days and months for when he would arrive and when the day had come she was the first one up, and ready to go pick him up with Robb._

_She had come downstairs all dressed to go, but Robb sat at the breakfast table still in his pajamas._

_“Are we not picking Jon up?” she asked as casually as possible._

_He looked up at her from his cereal, and then said “no, did I not tell you? He won’t be here for another year. Apparently he loves it there. If you ask me I reckon he has found someone”, and with that her heart broke. She looked at Sansa who punched Robb in the arm, as she followed Arya back to her room. Arya had never cried so much in her whole life._

A sudden knock on the door broke Arya away from her thoughts. She looked up at Jon, who looked towards the door and smiled.

“Aww bless you both, thanks for putting her to sleep guys”, Jeyne said as she made her way towards them.

“It’s ok Jeyne let her sleep here, she will be fine”, Arya said, as Jon lay her down on the bed. Jeyne gave Jon the blanket and he carefully placed it over Rhaneays. _He was always good with children._

“Well I must say you two make a very good team. You can both come to my house and babysit the kids any time”, she say rubbing her bump. Arya and Jon look at one another.

“Oh Gendry is calling you by the way. He wants everyone in the living room again”, Jeyne says fighting back another yawn.

“Oh Gendry, yes come on”, she says and she walks out the room followed by the slow thuds of Jeyne and Jon. She did not need to look back to know that it was Jon who was helping Jeyne down the stairs.

“Ahh Arya where have you been darling, everyone has been waiting”, Gendry says holding out his hand to her, for her to hold it. She looked at their faces smiling, and glances at Tyrion or shrugs his shoulders and yawns tirelessly. She smiles at him, rolling her eyes.

“ Now that we are surrounded by our loved ones, I would like to ask you something Arya” he beams and she is brought back to full attention as she sees Jon and Jeyne enter the room, just as Gendry gets down on one knee. Arya’s heart begins to get faster. _No surely he couldn’t not in front of everyone. Not now!_

“Arya Stark I have loved you since we were friends, and my love only grew stronger as the years went by. Now that we are settled in our lives together, I would like to make......” _blah blah blah, what the fuck was he doing? This was really happening_. She felt dizzy, light headed. Oh my goodness she was going to throw up on him. She looked around the room for her father, to see if he was walking towards them to refuse the marriage but he was smiling. _Him and Robert._ Her mother looked as if someone had spiked her drink with valium. She had the biggest weirdest grin on her face _. What the fuck?_

“So Arya Stark will you be my wife?”,she felt a nudge, she shook her head and looked at Gendry who was grinning like a fool.

“Hmmm yes?” she asks but only sees Gendry rush to get to his feet as he kisses her before she can protest.

He pulls away and she is greeted by her mother and Cersei who hug her again and again taking it in turns, as she sees the male members of her family shake Gendry’s hand.

Shit, fuck, shit fuck, fucking hell. That’s what this was. What the fuck had happened? As she hugs Sansa back she sees Jon. Their eyes lock briefly, and then he looks away towards Gendry shaking his hand. In that one moment Arya felt like someone had pulled the rug from underneath her......nothing would ever be the same again........


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the night was just one big blur for Arya. She kept staring at any empty space she could find, refusing to meet eyes with anyone especially her soon to be husband; Gendry. She was furious with him. He knew how she felt about surprises; it made her feel very uncomfortable. How dare he propose to her like that, and in front of everyone?! She watched him as he pompously went around chatting lively and sharing some joke with her father and now her soon to be father in law. Oh god her stomach began to turn, at the thought of it. In fact, if she thought back to it all she had never really agreed to the wedding because she was too furious about thinking what he was doing. Bloody great! Her _‘hmm yes’_ was more of a **_‘what the fuck are you doing!?_** Then _‘yes of course Gendry, my dear sweet boyfriend I would gladly marry you. Nothing would delight me fucking more’._

She glanced quickly around the room and her eyes swept over Jons frame. He had his back to her but he was talking and laughing with Robb and Jeyne. He hadn’t even so much as flinched when she had said yes. _Although technically she wasn’t saying yes to the proposal more to ask the question of what Gendry was asking her!_  Damn him, and damn Jon, and damn her too! And damn the bloody universe for bringing Jon back to her now!

Perhaps she should take this as a sign that she was ready to move on; Gendry was a decent guy, and she did love him, but she wasn’t _in_ love with him. Had she ever been _in_ love with him? Arya sighed answering her own question. No looking back perhaps she had never been _in_ love with Gendry. Not the way she had been with Jon; in fact still in love with Jon, seeing him here, all the feelings came rushing back. _Why did he have to come back at all?_ She sighed heavily and could feel her stomach turning once again as she looked down at the huge ring that now weighed her whole hand down. She needed fresh air and fast, before she threw up all over her brand new carpet.

She sneaks out quickly, and quietly then smiles at herself at how easy it was for her to leave unnoticed. She walks over to where the garden chairs had been placed out and saw a figure already sitting on the garden wall; glass in one hand and a slice of pizza in another.

“Ah here comes the beautiful bride to be, come sit with me Arya, before my nephew slaps on another something to let everyone know you are taken”, he says smiling ruefully. She shakes her head and sits next to him. “Would you like a slice?” he says taking a mouthful and looking at her.

She sits next to him, punches him in the arm and then takes a slice of pizza!

“Ow, what was that for? I had noticed you had hardly eaten any of your dinner, so I thought you may be hungry. I won’t ask again”, he said almost sounding hurt.

“Oh shut up” Arya says taking a mouth full of pizza. “If you cared about me, you would have given me a heads up on what your bloody nephew had been plotting, I mean really”, she says taking another mouthful, as Tyrion amusingly watches her eat and talk at the same time “I thought we were friends. You know we look out for each other. Last time I’m helping you out, that’s for sure”, she says her cheeks full of food.

“Charming”, he says smiling at her, and she gives him a glare and he quickly adds “what makes you think that he would make me privy to such guarded plans. Come on Arya give me some credit”, he says and she looks at him swallowing her mouthful. “Besides if I knew what he was planning we would not be sitting here, I would have whisked you away to some unknown location and have my wicked way with you”, she smiles and rolls her eyes, and he laughs.

“Shut up, Tyrion. You are so old school. What am I going to do”? She says looking at him more desperately now.

“Not a lot apart from marry the lucky bastard. God he is such a twat, he did this on purpose you know. Because he knew if he was to ask you on your own he knew you would say no”, he said biting his pizza.

“I know. But it’s not like I do not want to marry or settle down its just right now after everything that had happened I’m just..... I’m not ready for all these changes in my life. Everything is changing and changing fast, and I cannot seem to control anything”. She says almost wanting to cry. “And marriage is a big thing”, she says again trying hard to fight back the tears. She seldom cried and she knew Tyrion knew.

“It is shit isn’t it? the not having control part, others making choices for you, but Arya you and Gendry have been together for a while, marriage was always going to be on the cards you knew this when you got involved with him. The moment you guys had started dating, your father and Robert looked like a bunch of school kids. They have wanted this for a very long time”, he said sighing heavily.

“I know” she says reaching for another slice of pizza, and shoving it in her mouth, “ but I don’t know, it is all moving too fast for me that’s all”, she says.

“Well you could always run away with me that would give them all something to talk about. Your mother already hates me, it may be the push she needs to finally come out and tell me how she really feels” he laughs.

“My mother does not hate you”, she says and he looks at her with one raised eyebrow. “Ok she does, but I have no idea why”, she says smiling, and winks at him playfully. They both sit and laugh, and look in the window at the people inside the house. They all looked deliriously happy. Oblivious to the two miserable ones who sat outside.

“It’s like watching a TV advert, for homes today, or best dressed party wear”, he says laughing and she laughs too.

“Shut up, give me some of that” Arya says reaching for his glass.

“You won’t like it”, he says moving the glass away from her.

“I’ll be the judge of that thank you”, she says as he hands her the glass. She takes a sip, and then spits it back out again. “Urgh yuck, that is gross. What is that?” she says looking at him and shaking her head.

He smiles at her and says “my own special homemade brew, shhhh don’t tell anyone”, he winks and she hands him back the glass.

“Answer me one question Arya”, he says as he turns to look at her with a mask of seriousness upon his face.

“Ok” she says taking another slice, “this pizza is delicious, by the way, and you were right I was hungry”, she says smiling at him. Feeling better already. Tyrion always had a way of making her feel better. He was like the cool big brother that had your back.

“Why him Arya?” he asks seriously, and all the smiling left his face and she just stared at him. For a moment she did not know how to reply. Or what to say. She and Tyrion always joked about her relationship with Gendry, and he was the one she would moan to if he had really pissed her off, then he would crack some joke, and they would just laugh and everything would be ok with her. But this was different. He had never asked her why she was with him, never so seriously anyway.

“Tyrion I..... He’s my boyfriend, we have been together for over four years now, you know like you said it was always on the cards from the word go, and Gendry is a good guy, so why not him?” she replies, answering his question with another question.

He looks at her for another moment and the silence that passes between them was chilling. She never saw this side of Tyrion before. The seriousness that was in his eyes. It frightened her. He was never meant to be the serious one. But here he was now, yet as he stood there she saw a sadness in his mismatched eyes, that she had never seen before; and Arya does not understand why. She goes to speak his name but he speaks first.

“So you are happy?” he asks her.

“Yes” she smiles at him. “Otherwise I would never have said yes”. She says taking another bite of the pizza.   _Although technically you did not say yes!_ Came the voice in her head.

He hops off from down the wall and says turning to her “I’m going back inside it is rather chilly out here, finish the pizza off, and my drink” he winks at her then goes to leave. She watches him quietly walk away swaggering this way and that, before he turns around and looks at her and smiles.

“What?” she shouts.

“When I asked you why him u gave me the wrong answer” he shouted back, smiling. She looked at him confused, but unable to ask him how it was wrong?

“Why him Arya” he asks again, and again she just looks at him. And then he says “because you are _in_ love with him, not because he is your boyfriend or that you have been together for so long. Anyone can do that”. He says looking at her sadly.

She sits there and watches Tyrion go back into the house where the music was loud and laughter filled the air, as she sat in the cold, clutching on to a cold pizza, and thinking _what the fuck?_ He was never meant to be serious. Never.

She stares back to where he went, completely shocked at him.  Being only four feet tall, he had a bigger heart then most people who were of a regular size, and much more perceptive of how others were truly feeling. She could not argue with him, her answer should have been because she is in love with Gendry, so why had it not been?

She had been with Gendry for five years now, and she had thought she had been relatively happily, which she had. He was kind, considerate most of the time, and not a bad lover either, so why was she not in love with him anymore? Was she ever in love with him? She knew the answer. She had only ever loved one person. And right now he was making his way towards her. Arya’s heart began to beat faster as he got closer. She took a big gulp of Tyrions’ home made brew and immediately screwed up her face. The so made home brew still tasted vile.

“Congrats” Jon said smiling at her, as he takes a seat on the wall next to her.

“Thanks” she replies, smiling back at him.

“Sooooooo......” he says and she realises he is uncomfortable. She absentmindly runs her hands over her arms as the cold breeze whips around her. She watches him immediately stand up and take his jacket off, placing it gently around her shoulders.   _When did Gendry ever do that for you?_ A quiet voice asked inside her head _._

“Thanks” she smiles and watches Jon sit back down next to her as she silently takes in the warmth and scent of his jacket. It was his scent, familiar and profoundly intoxicating. _Shit! What the fuck was in this brew!?_ She thought to herself.

“Wow so you are getting married. Wow Arya, I never thought you would be getting married second after rob, I mean I knew you would but I always figured Sansa would be next, then Bran, then Rickon then perhaps you” he says nudging her and smiling at her _. Jon Snow’s smile!_

“Shut up” she says nudging him back, yet she bit her lip, as her heart swelled at the smile he gave her.

“Well your dad and Robert are over the moon not to mention your dear good mother” he says smiling.

“Yeah. If mum had her way me and Gendry would have been married the moment we had told them we were dating. And you know dad and Robert they have always wanted their friendship to be joined as family; well I guess they have that now. They are so happy” she says trying not to let the sadness in her voice come to the surface.

“And what about you? Are you happy, I mean, with the wedding and all?” he asks looking at her intently. Arya sits there and looks at him. She knew what he was really asking her. If she was happy with Gendry. What does she say to him? Was she happy?

 She managed a smile and replied “yes of course I am. Gendry is a really nice guy” she says smiling back at him, then nudges his ar, and says “he takes good care of me Jon”.

“Yeah he seems like a really nice guy”, he nudges her again with his elbow, “ and I am glad he takes good care of you” and they both smile.

“What a night” he says eventually whilst letting a low whistle escape from his mouth. “I did not expect this night to turn into an engagement party” he says finally looking at her.

“Believe me neither did I. You know how much I hate surprises.” She replies shaking her head.

“Yup, I remember”, he says. They both laugh at one another as they recall a memory from a long time ago. Once the laughter subsides his face becomes all serious and his grey eyes darken slightly as he turns towards her and asks “why him Arya?”  Leaving Arya just staring in to his eyes.

  _‘Why him Arya?’_   The second person to ask her that night.  She should turn around and say it is because she loves him but she could not lie to Jon; he would just see through the lie. But she could never tell him the truth either. So she just nudges him with her shoulder, and replies half heartedly “because you came back to late” looking at him and giving him a half hearted smile. It was, at the time all she could muster. At least it was partly the truth.

 He suddenly stands up and faces her. For a second her throat becomes dry as she sees something shift in his grey eyes, but he blinks it away quickly just as Bran comes out shouting “hey Jon, we gonna start playing on the PS4; you coming?”  And without turning to Bran he shouts “yeah I’ll be there in a sec” but he kept his eyes on Arya.

She looks away quickly _. Bloody hell what was she thinking? Why had she said that? She was fucking engaged for goodness sake. How must it have sounded?_

“I better go Arya. Congratulations again” Jon says awkwardly and he walks back in the house as she stares at the back of him. Arya takes another swig of the contents from the glass forgetting what is was, and then immediately wishing she had not swallowed it. God it was awful, and incredibly strong. It had already started making her feel light headed. Yet it could not dull the aching feeling in her heart which was becoming a permanent resident. _I’m drowning_ Arya thought to herself whilst taking the last slice of pizza back inside with her, clinging on to Jon’s jacket as if it were the only thing keeping her afloat.

Arya quietly made her way up the stairs and in to her bedroom shutting the door behind her. She sat down on the bed by Rhaneays feet and looked at her sleeping peacefully. Not a care in the world. How lucky she was. Arya then looks at the ring on her hand. It was a beautiful ring. Real pearl at the centre with real diamonds all around. It even had diamonds which had been embedded going along the band of the ring. It was a very pretty ring, but too flashy for her. Gods Arya thought to herself if this was the engagement ring she dreaded to think what would be the actual wedding ring.

Staring at the ring, she saw it for what it was. A statement piece. She was now the property of the Baratheon family. There for all to see; was the evidence.

The Starks were a proud family, and kept themselves to themselves. Her father worked hard and expected the rest of the family to do so too in whatever they chose to do. Her fathers’ motto was ‘there was no point pursuing a dream if you were to only do it half heartedly’. And she had lived by that motto most of her life. They all had. But the Baratheons’; they were so different. They were loud, boisterous, flashy, and loved boasting about the vast amount of wealth that was scattered in many banks, in England and overseas. At times she wondered like most of her siblings how two men so different from one another could be such good friends.

She and Gendry at times seemed as if they were worlds apart too. He always wanted to go out, meet his friends, go party, always wanting to do something, whereas at times, though she loved doing those things too, she just wished they went out less, and spent more time in, reading or watching something on the T.V; just chilling. Or perhaps take a kickboxing class together; _or something._ Arya just thought there was more to life then going out, being seen, hanging out with the right crowd.

They were so different, that at times it seemed their differences would eventually tear them apart but they had lasted this long. They would break up, then make up, then break up again, then make up again. It was just how they were. Their fights were mainly because of the dogs. Gendry hated them and they hated Gendry. Then when Ghost and Nymeria had that fateful accident well they just seemed to pull together. He was so caring and attentative, that she almost wondered if he truly had hated them.

Arya walks over to the bathroom and begins brushing her teeth, taking the ring off and placing it by the basin. She then washed her face before putting her pyjamas on. She did not care that everyone was still downstairs. Her head hurt from that stupid ale and all she wanted to do was sleep, after slaving all day, but she knew she had to go back downstairs; it would not look good if her mother found her asleep.

Thankfully as she made her way down the stairs, she noticed that the party had sobered a little, and most of the rowdy ones had gone off to play on the PS.  Arya peers into the living room; it was just her mother and soon to be mother in law sitting and talking with Sansa and Jeyne. Tyrion was sitting in the far corner with his brother the ex army commander; Jamie. She quietly made her way in to the room hoping if they had noticed she changed - which they would have - that they would not make a big deal about it. But no such luck.

“Arya darling what on earth are you wearing sweetheart? You still have guests here.  You are still hosting a dinner party” her mother gently scolds her.

“Come now Catelynn the poor girl has been slaving all day let her get in her pyjamas and relax. And besides we are hardly guests now; more like family” Tyrion answers before she can speak up for herself. He smiles wickedly at her mother. And then winks at Arya before her mother could see. She loved Tyrion. Arya makes her way over to him, and sits on the arm of the chair next to him, smiling at both Tyrion and Jamie.

“We may all be family now, yet there is something called as dinner etiquettes” Catelynn replies, with a certain edge to her tone.  Thankfully Sansa rushed in to the rescue.

“Tyrion is right mother, we are all family now and goodness me with all this excitement poor Arya deserves to relax” She beams and her mother smiles at Sansa as she kisses her cheek. Sansa hugs her mother and then sticks her tongue out at Tyrion. No one saw apart from Arya and Tyrion. He just bowed his head down to her; as Arya rolls her eyes. Tyrion nudges Arya discreetly pointing to her ring finger.

“Oh shit” she mouths at him tucking her hand behind her so her mother would not notice.

“Erm I’m just going to check on Rhaneays I think I heard her crying” she says, quickly getting up, before anyone had time to object. She walked out as fast as she could making her way back up the stairs; all the while hoping she had not lost the bloody thing. That was all she needed. It would not go well if she lost her engagement ring on the first night she received it. Sneaking in to the room Arya quickly goes to the bathroom and sees the ring exactly where she had left it. Thank fuck for that! She thought to herself as she hurries out the bathroom and knocks into Jon.

“ Jon what are you.... sorry I?” She says but failing to get any words out.

“I forgot my watch in here. I had taken it off when I was feeding Rhaneays the bottle. You haven't seen it have you?” he asks, all the while his eyes not leaving her face.

 “Oh yeah I thought it was Gendry’s I had put in it the draw just under the dresser help yourself” She says smiling; as she attempts to put the ring back on her finger. She hears him open a draw whilst she was still struggling to put the ring on. _How the fuck had Gendry done this?_  Arya can hear Jon opening and closing draws but she pays no attention because she can hear a humming sound.

“Can you hear that?” they both ask at the same time, and then smiling at one another.

“Yeah but where is it coming from?” she asks turning back to him, finally managing to get the ring back on her now sore finger!

“From one of these draws” Jon replies and Arya knits her eyebrows together. “It sounds like something vibrating” Jon says as he opens the third draw and Arya suddenly realises what it was. She watches in horror, unable to stop him as he says “found it” and pulls it out without looking at what it was he was holding. Oh how she wished a giant hole would open up then and there and swallow her whole. He turns back at what he was holding then forms an ‘o’ with his mouth. She rushes towards him as he says “Arya I’m sorry...... I.....” but she cuts him off. She did not want to hear it.

“ Just give me that” she says snatching it from him whilst turning red in the process and fumbling with the switch off button, only to realise she had set the bloody vibrating rabbit to the higher speed! _For fucks sake_. It sounded like someone was using a bloody lawnmower, the room was that quite, and the bloody rabbit was that loud!

“Oh bloody hell shut up” she said frantically trying the off button again and again _. Damn it!_  It had got stuck. She could see Jon from the corner of her eye. He did not know where to turn.

“Erm do you need some help with that” he said and Arya shot him a stare which shut Jon up. _For fucks sake he was asking if she needed help. No she did not. What she wanted was for him to leave the bloody room._ That is what she wanted to scream at him.

 Finally after a few seconds she managed to get it to stop! She quickly puts it back and turns to Jon who was now raising both his eyebrows at her. A smile creeping up on his face.

 “What?” She shouts at him.

“Shhhh” he says putting a finger to his lips and then pointing to Rhaneays as he smiles.

She turns to him and whacks him on the arm. “Do you not know you should never go through a ladies drawers?”She hissed.

“I do but you asked me to. So what? How was I supposed to know you had such impressive equipment” he chirped and she whacks him again on the arm.

“Ow” he says.

“Good I’m glad that hurts” she says. “Did u find your bloody watch? “She asks and he laughs and nods. She can feel the heat going to her cheeks. She began biting her bottom lip, and folds her arms across her chest. _This was so embarrassing!_

“Arya hey its fine. I’m just messing. Your right I should never have gone in your draws like that. I’m sorry” he says and smiles.

 She whacks him again but gentler this time and he laughs silently.

“So..... impressive equipment” he says this time dodging her whack and grabbing both her hands instead. She struggles and he pulls her towards him and suddenly she starts to find it harder to breathe. 

Looking up into his eyes she says “let go please” barley a whisper, though in her head she was saying _don’t you dare._

 And he replies “only if you promise to not hit me again. They bloody hurt” he says smiling at her. “You have gotten a lot stronger from the last time I can remember”. She continues to bite her lip as she catches him trailing her mouth.

“Only if you don’t say anything stupid” she retorts and he smirks.

“Hmmmm, I can’t guarantee that”.

She retorts “Oh yeah sorry I forgot stupid is your middle name” she says looking up at him and smiling. She watches him stare at her with cool grey eyes, as he slowly traces her hands with his, until he gets to her ring. Suddenly he loosens his grip on both of her hands. _No she wants to scream don’t let me go Jon. Not just yet!_ But she sees where he is looking at. His eyes glancing over her ring and he lets go.

“I got my watch now so I better go”. He says taking a step back, she does the same and the spaces that they had occupied seemed so empty now and cold. “I have to go back to the hotel now anyway my taxi should be here in a few minutes”, she says as he starts to move further away from her.

 “A taxi? I thought you were staying with Robb?” she asks confused by him moving away from her so quickly , and by her own empty feeling of him going to leave.

“Yeah but I have already paid for a hotel and I think Robb is making plans to stop the night here. I’ll pop down your mum and dads’ tomorrow afternoon for tea so I will see him there” he says, smiling at her.

“Oh! Ok I’ll walk down with you then” she says trying to hide her own disappointment at him leaving so soon.

“It’s ok you stay with Rhaneays. Perhaps I will see you around Arya, at your dads” he says and she sees a flash of hope in his eyes, but perhaps it was hers, because as soon as she blinks it has gone.

“Yes perhaps Jon” she says as he walks out of her room. Arya breathes heavily and waits in the room. _What was going on? She had not seen Jon for so long and now he turns up and it feels as if she was falling for him all over again. Why did he have to come back now?_ She asked in her head, yet irritated at her own feelings for Jon. She climbs into the bed next to a blissfully sleeping Rhaneays as she relives the last few minutes shared by her and Jon................

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just want to thank ASOIAF_FAN; estha; lucy94; annie: maxine; Raskolnikova; anne91; and carla_00 for taking the time to leave a comment. soory have not replied. i have been very busy. anywho hope u all like this chapter. it took a while to write and then re edit! thankyou soo much for taking the time to read this and leaving kudos and comments! :)


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